In Search of the British Dream

Foreigners are settling in the UK in record numbers. Mukul Devichand seeks to see the UK through the eyes of those who've recently arrived.

There are now 7.5 million foreign-born people in the UK. Three million of them have come in the last 10 years. One in eight people in the UK were born abroad - the same ratio as in the land built on immigration, the United States.

This is a huge change that will ultimately affect every corner of the country. What does it say about Britain that so many people are choosing this island? Many could have equally tried to move to China, Germany or South Africa. Is it that Britain is a 'soft touch' for benefits, or is it a 21st Century land of opportunity? How do the hopes of those coming to Britain match the reality of living here?